Brighton & Hove Albion defender Pascal Struijk has had his red card overturned following a controversial decision during their Matchweek 6 encounter against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.
The Dutch defender was sent off in the 57th minute after being penalised for fouling Wilson Isidor as he attempted to run on to a through-ball.
Brighton confirmed the development following a successful appeal, adding that the defender is now cleared to play in their next game.
“Brighton & Hove Albion can confirm that an independent Regulatory Commission has upheld a claim of wrongful dismissal in relation to Pascal Struijk and removed his one-match suspension.
The defender was sent off during the Premier League fixture against Sunderland on Saturday 10 October for denying an obvious goalscoring opportunity.
Following a successful claim of wrongful dismissal, the red card has been rescinded and Struijk will now be available for selection for Sunday’s fixture against Crystal Palace.”
The on-field referee and his assistant did not initially deem the incident worthy of a red card until the centre referee was prompted by the VAR official to review the footage on the pitchside monitor. After watching the replay, the referee showed Struijk a straight red card for denying an obvious goalscoring opportunity.
Despite the red card, Brighton went on to win the match 2-0 and continue their strong start to the season. The Seagulls are third, five points behind leaders Manchester City.
There have been several controversial refereeing decisions in the Premier League this season, including the incident during the Sunderland-Brighton game and Liverpool midfielder Ryan Gravenberch’s dismissal during Sunday’s clash against Manchester City. Gravenberch received a second yellow card as Liverpool lost 3-0 at home.
Manchester City were also involved in a controversial red-card incident during the Manchester derby against Manchester United. Phil Foden was sent off in the 23rd minute following a confrontation involving players from both teams. City went on to win the match 1-0 despite playing with ten men.
Tottenham Hotspur also lost Rodrigo Bentancur to a red card in the 78th minute of their match against Manchester United on Saturday following a confrontation with Luke Shaw. The match ended in a 1-1 draw.
Football fans calling on Premier League referees to improve their decisions have questioned what might have happened had Brighton lost to Sunderland on Saturday.
